Kerala Minister for Fisheries, Culture & Youth Affairs, Saji Cherian, responded to reports regarding the government’s order to regulate establishments under the Department of Culture. He clarified that institutions receiving public funds are subject to government control and do not possess special powers. Cherian stated that the order aimed to ensure alignment with government policies and questioned the problem with such an action. He compared these institutions to panchayats, which also lack autonomy despite receiving government funds. The minister emphasized that establishments funded by the government must report their activities, highlighting that the recent order served as a reminder rather than a new law.
Cherian expressed the government’s intention to enhance the functioning of these institutions. Given that government representatives participate in their committees, he justified making it mandatory to consider their convenience before organizing events. When questioned about the approval requirement for committee meeting minutes involving government representatives, Cherian acknowledged the potential for human error and stated that the order aimed to prevent mistakes from affecting the government, citing an incident involving the government emblem appearing in a Sahitya Akademi publication.
Meanwhile, K Satchidanandan, President of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, defended the order, stating that such directives were not new and had been issued in the past, even during the United Democratic Front’s regime. He asserted that the government did not decide the Akademi’s activities, nor did it require permission for its programs.
Former Minister for Culture, K C Joseph, called for the withdrawal of the government order, arguing that it threatened the autonomy of establishments under the Department of Culture. He accused both the central government and the Pinarayi regime of competing to undermine institutional autonomy.
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